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Rulings for Naming The Newborn Babies
Author : Dr. Hassan Abu_Arqoub
Date Added : 12-12-2022

 

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

Islamic rulings for newborn babies can be summarized as follows*:

 

First: On what day should a newborn be given its name?

 

It is recommended to name the newborn on the seventh day, as customary amongst the people. The evidence on this is the following Hadith: Narrated 'Amr bin Shu'aib from his father, from his grandfather that: "The Prophet (PBUH) ordered naming the child on the seventh day, removing the harm from him, and Al-'Aqq (removing the hair and slaughtering the animal for 'Aqiqah)." [A good /unfamiliar narration].

 

It is also recommended to name the newborn on the first day based on the following Hadith: Abu Musa reported: 

"A child was born in my house and I brought him to Allah's Apostle (May peace be upon him) and he gave him the name of Ibrahim, he rubbed his palate with dates, and prayed that Allah blesses him." {Agreed upon}.

 

We can reconcile both Hadiths by saying that giving a name to the baby on the day it was born is true when no Aqiqa is to be offered for it and on the seventh when Aqiqa is to be offered after having given it a name on the first.

 

Second: Should a newborn baby be named even if it passed away before it was given a name?

 

It is stated: "Even if the newborn baby died before it was given a name, it is recommended to name it. It is also recommended to name the miscarried embryo in which the spirit was breathed, and if it couldn`t be told whether it was a boy or a girl, it is to be a given a name that fits both genders, such as Kharijah, Talhah, and Hind." [Mughni Al-Muhtajj].

 

Third: Giving a good name to one`s child.

 

It is recommended for the father to choose a good name for his child since 

the Prophet (PBUH) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, you will be called by your names and by your father's names, so give yourselves good names." [Ahmad & Abu Dawood].

 

Fourth: What are the most beloved of names to Allah?

 

The most beloved of names to Allah are 'Abdullah and 'Abd Al-Rahman. As Ibn Umar (May Allah Be Pleased with them) reported that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "The names dearest to Allah are 'Abdullah and 'Abd al-Rahman." {Moslim}. Abu Dawood added: "And the best names are Harith (He who digs the earth) and Humam (Courageous and generous).

 

Fifth: What are the disliked names in Islam?

 

A- Ugly names are disliked, such as Shaytan (Satan/the Devil), Zalim (Wrongdoer), and Himar (Donkey).

 

B- It is disliked to give one`s child a name that people take as an evil omen when negated, such as Najih, Barakah, Rabah, and Aflah. This is attested to in the following Hadith: "Samura b. Jundub reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "The dearest phrases to Allah are four: Subhan Allah (Hallowed be Allah), Al-Hamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), La Ilaha Illa-Allah (There is no deity but Allah), Allahu Akbar (Allah is Greater). There is no harm for you in which of them to begin with (while remembering Allah). And do not give these names to your servants: Yasar and Rabah and Najih and Aflah." [Moslim]. The narrator says: "Don`t add to these four." Does this phrase mean that you can`t draw an analogy on the names that he heard from the Prophet (PBUH)?

Answer:

 Is that in Shareh Muslim, An-Nawawi said: 

"The narrator saying (Don`t add to these four names) doesn`t mean that it is banned to make an analogy based on these four and other names of similar meaning."

 

Fellow Shafiee's scholars said that it is disliked to name one`s child with these four names or names of similar meaning and that these four are given as an example. 

 

These names are properly disapproved and not forbidden, and the cause for their being disliked is reflected in the words of the Prophet (PBUH) who said: "Is Falah (Success) there? They say: No., he isn`t). Such name is disliked because when you say there is no Falah, it means there is no success in that home. Accordingly, the answer is ugly and may cause the hearer to take it as an evil omen." 

C- Names of Tazkiyah (A term alluring to Tazkiyat An-Nafs, meaning "sanctification" or "Purification of the self." Ibn Abbas (May Allah Be Pleased with them) reported: "the name of Juwairiya (the wife of the Holy Prophet) was Barra (Pious). Allah's Messenger (PBUH) changed her name to Juwairiya and said: I did not like that it should be said: He had come out from Barra (Pious)." [Muslim]. 

 

Sixth: Islamic Ruling on Changing Ugly Names.

 

It is recommended to change ugly names, names taken as a bad omen when negated, and names of Tazkya.

 

Seventh: What is the Islamic ruling on using the names of angels and Prophets?

 

It is permissible to give the names of angels and Prophets to one`s children, and this isn`t disliked.

 

Eighth: What is the Islamic ruling on naming one`s child Yaseen or Taha?

 

It is permissible to name one`s child Yaseen or Taha and this isn`t disliked.

 

Ninth: Is there a reward for naming one`s child Mohammad?

 

Malik said: I heard the people of Mdinah saying: "A family in which there is a member called Mohammad shall be blessed with good sustenance."

 

Ten: Is it permissible to name a child by "Abdoalnabi"?

 

Most scholars opt for prohibiting this name and considering it disliked for fear of ascribing partners in worship with Allah. However, giving this name to a child can be permissible if it is intended as the servant of the Prophet (PBUH). Yet, it is better not to use it.

 

Eleven: Is it permissible to nickname a child?

 

Yes, this is permissible because Anas said: "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited us. I had a young brother who used the Kunya of Abu 'Umayr. He had a sparrow, which he used to play with, and it had died. The Prophet (PBUH) came and saw that he was sad. He asked: "what is wrong with him?' He was told, 'His sparrow has died.' The Prophet said, 'Abu 'Umayr, what has happened to the little sparrow?" {Agreed upon}.

 

Twelve: Which son`s name should a father be called with?

 

It is recommended that he should be called by the name of his oldest son.

 

Thirteen: Is it permissible to nickname the person who has no son?

 

It is recommended to nickname the people of excellence from among the men and women if they had no sons.

 

Fourteen: Is it permissible to nickname the Kafir (Disbeliever), the Fasiq (Evil sinner), and the Mobtadi` (Innovator)?

 

It isn`t permissible to nickname any of these because they are unworthy of this honor. 

If someone used the following verse in which, Allah, The Most Exalted Said (What means): "Perish the hands of the Father of Flame! Perish he!" {Al-Masad/1}. What is your answer to this?

The answer: He was nicknamed with Abu Lahab (The Father of Flame) and his real name wasn`t mentioned because it is Abd al-Uzza, which is one of the three chief goddesses of Arabian religion in pre-Islamic times and either she was worshipped by the pre-Islamic Arabs along with Al-Lat and Manat. Or, he was known by his nickname more than his real name.

 

Fifteen: Is it permissible for a son to call his father with his name? or, the student to call his teacher with his name?

 

 It is recommended for a son to say: "Father." And the student to say: "Teacher."

 

Sixteen: Is permissible for a person to nickname himself in his books and letters?

 

Etiquette stipulates that one doesn`t nickname himself in a book or else unless he is only known by that nickname or that nickname is more famous than the name itself.

 

*This article is taken from "Kitab Al-Athkar" by An-Nawawi and [Moghni Al-Mohtajj] for Al-Shirbini. However, it underwent some additions and modifications.

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on combining more than one intention in the prayer, such as combining the *sunnah* of wuḍūʾ with the pre-Dhuhr *sunnah*, or combining the *sunnah* of greeting the mosque (*taḥiyyat al-masjid*) with the pre-Dhuhr *sunnah*?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Combining two intentions in a single act of worship, which some jurists call the “overlapping of acts of worship”, has several cases and precise rules. These can be consulted in the books of legal maxims, such as al-Manthūr fī al-Qawāʿid al-Fiqhiyyah by al-Zarkashī and al-Ashbāh wa’l-Naẓāʾir by al-Suyūṭī. Among the most important of these rules:
First: If all of the acts of worship that one wishes to combine under one intention are obligatory, the intentions do not overlap. An example is combining the intention of the obligatory ʿAṣr prayer with that of the obligatory Dhuhr prayer. The intentions do not overlap in this case.
Second: If the two acts are specified supererogatory prayers (nawāfil muqayyadah) that are aimed at in themselves because of a particular time, occasion, or cause, or if they are an obligatory prayer and a specified supererogatory prayer, the intentions again do not overlap. An example is the Duha prayer, which may not be combined with, for instance, the regular sunnah of Dhuhr.
It is stated in Bushrā al-Karīm: “Whatever is not, in meaning, an absolute voluntary prayer, such as the Duha sunnah… is not subsumed under another. Rather, if he intends something else along with it… the prayer is not validly entered. This is because combining two obligations, two specified supererogatory prayers, or an obligation and a specified supererogatory prayer invalidates the prayer in cases not built upon overlapping, as ritual purification (ṭahārah) is.”
Third: If the two acts are absolute voluntary prayers (nawāfil muṭlaqah), or one of them is, where the texts of the Sharīʿah show that the aim of the voluntary act is to fill the time with worship, then overlapping of intentions is permissible. An example is the obligatory Dhuhr prayer together with the sunnah of greeting the mosque (taḥiyyat al-masjid). And Allah Almighty knows best.

I read the Qudsī ḥadīth: "Whoever breaks his wuḍūʾ and does not perform ablution has shown me harshness; whoever performs ablution and does not pray has shown me harshness; whoever prays and does not supplicate to Me has shown me harshness; and whoever supplicates to Me and I do not answer him, then I have been harsh to him, and I am not a harsh Lord." What is the authenticity of this ḥadīth?

 

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
This ḥadīth was mentioned by al-Ṣaghānī (may Allah have mercy on him) in al-Mawḍūʿāt (p. 43), where he said: “Among them is their saying: ‘Whoever breaks his wuḍūʾ and does not perform ablution has shown me harshness; whoever performs ablution and does not pray has shown me harshness; (whoever prays and does not supplicate to Me has shown me harshness); and whoever supplicates to Me and I do not answer him, then I have been harsh to him, and I am not a harsh Lord.’”
Al-ʿAjlūnī (may Allah have mercy on him) cited what al-Ṣaghānī said in Kashf al-Khafāʾ (Vol.2/p.264). And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on men wearing rings (those made of silver and of other metals, such as iron), and are there conditions for men wearing rings?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is sunnah for men to wear a silver ring on the right hand, following the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is reported in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, on the authority of Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) took a silver ring and had “Muḥammad Rasūl Allāh” engraved on it. He said: “I have taken a ring of silver and had ‘Muḥammad Rasūl Allāh’ engraved on it, so let no one engrave the like of its engraving.”
It is a condition that the silver ring not exceed the size customary in the local norm (ʿurf). If it does, that is extravagance (isrāf). A ring made of a metal other than silver, such as iron or copper, is permissible to wear without disapproval (karāhah), except gold, which is forbidden (ḥarām) for a man to wear.
It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.1/p.586): “It is permissible, without disapproval, to wear a ring of iron or lead. It is sunnah for a man to wear a silver ring on the little finger of his right or left hand. Wearing it on the right is better, and it is permissible on the left, and on both together.”
It is also stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.2/p.97): “It is lawful for him, that is, the man, and likewise the khunthā (person of indeterminate sex), indeed all the more so, to wear a ring of silver, by consensus (ijmāʿ), because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took a ring of silver, narrated by the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhārī and Muslim). Wearing it is in fact sunnah, whether on the right or the left, though the right is better according to the sound position, as stated in the chapter on clothing in al-Rawḍah… The Shāfiʿī jurists did not specify the permitted size of the ring, and they probably relied on custom (ʿurf), that is, the custom of that country and the habit of people of his standing in it. Whatever exceeds that is extravagance, as they said regarding a woman’s anklet. This is the reliable position (al-muʿtamad).” And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on offering a sheep as a sacrifice (Udhiyah) if its fat-tail is sound, except that when it was young, the tip of its fat-tail was cut so that it would grow larger? And what is the ruling in case of doubt regarding the amount that was cut?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Cutting a minor, insignificant portion from the tip of an animal's fat-tail (al-alyah) to encourage it to grow larger is not considered a defect, and it does not prevent the animal from being valid for sacrifice (Udhiyah).
 
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (Vol.9/P.352): "There is some scholarly deliberation regarding the common practice of cutting the tip of the fat-tail so that it grows larger. It could potentially be likened to a partial cut of the ear—supported by the jurists' general rule: 'even if it is a small amount.' On the other hand, if it is an exceptionally minor cut, it might have no effect on validity. This is explicitly clarified by the juristic exception to the general rule, which states that cutting a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm. This latter view is more well-founded.
 
Furthermore, I found that some scholars investigated this matter and concluded: 'It should not affect validity if a custom-sanctioned portion of its fat-tail is removed during its youth to make it grow larger and look better, just as castrating a male animal causes no harm.' However, applying this unconditionally contradicts the established texts of the jurists, as understood from what I have laid out; thus, the restriction I specified is what must be relied upon."
 
Similarly, it is mentioned in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (8/135): "If a small piece is cut from the fat-tail to help it grow larger, the most well-founded view is that the sacrifice remains valid, as was given in a formal legal verdict (Fatwa) by my father [Shihab al-Din al-Ramli], may Allah be pleased with him. This is proven by the jurists' maxim: 'The loss of a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm.'"
 
In cases where there is doubt as to whether the portion cut was large or small, the animal is still deemed valid for sacrifice. It is noted in Hashiyat al-Shubramallisi ‘ala Nihayat al-Muhtaj (Vol.8/P.135):
 
"This matter requires careful consideration, but the closer and more correct view is that it is valid. This is because soundness is the default state for the animal from which the piece was cut, and it aligns with what usually occurs—namely, that the part removed to help the fat-tail grow larger is naturally very small." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

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